582 DISEASES OF THE PERITONEUM. 



the serous membrane of the abdomen, even in liim pure and 

 simple inflammatory disturbance, apart from disease of other 

 organs contained there, and external violence or traumatic 

 lesion, together with certain general diseased conditions, is 

 rather a rare occurrence. While, both from the similarity of 

 the symptoms attendant upon this condition when it does 

 take place, and those of a like diseased action in the bowels in 

 particular, as well as the frequent amalgamation of these, there 

 is little doubt that the two conditions have often been con- 

 founded. 



a. Causation. — 1. In an idio'pailiic form, as the result of 

 cold and exposure, an active, subacute, or chronic attack of 

 inflammation of the peritoneum may assert itself, not, how- 

 ever, save in the last form, so frequently as is generally 

 imagined. As subacute or chronic peritonitis, it is rather 

 frequently met with in young horses which have been badly 

 treated as respects location and dietary ; these cases it will 

 generally be found have been exposed during inclement 

 weather, and upon a food-supply inadequate in every respect 

 to serve the requirements of the system. 



2. From Contiguous Irritation. — In this form the inflam- 

 matory action is either circumscribed or diffused, confined to 

 a small area in immediate connection with the originating 

 disease, or distributed throughout the peritoneal sac. The 

 cases which originate in this manner are propagations of the 

 same action from disease of organs in or connected with the 

 abdomen, as irritation or inflammation of the bowels, liver, 

 mammary glands, or even propagated from the structures of 

 the chest. 



8. From Blood-contamination. — This secondary or symp- 

 tomatic peritonitis we encounter in some general diseased con- 

 ditions, in certain specific fevers and other constitutional 

 disturbances. In some of our patients, more particularly than 

 in the horse, a peculiarly troublesome development of peri- 

 tonitis is found associated with the jouerperal state, which 

 probably, in addition to its merely irritative character, is pos- 

 sessed of specific properties, and capable of propagation. 



4. From Causes Traumatic. — The production of peritoneal 

 inflammation from injury to tissue, the result of mechanical 

 violence or operative interference, is 23robably of more fre- 



